No joke. I抦 trying not to be a paranoid bitch when I know I shouldn抰 be.
The server returns with our drinks before he can press me. 揂re we ready to order??
揥hatever you call the crab with avocado and spicy aioli,?he says immediately. 揑 want a couple of rolls of that, a spread of your market sashimi, a tempura roll, and throw in a California roll for my lovely date from San Diego.?
I stare at him, unblinking.
Wow. Until now, I never thought I抎 like having a man order for me. But there抯 something oddly charming about trusting Cole enough to take care of me.
Now, if only we could build the same trust outside of delicious food and sheet-ripping sex.
揃ring it on the Zushi boat, please. I抦 a sucker for a good presentation,?Cole continues.
She taps the order into her tablet and disappears.
Under the table, Cole catches my foot gently between both of his. I gasp and look at him.
揥e抮e not off to a great start, are we? Minus the impeccable sushi order, I mean.?
揥e抮e fine,?I lie.
揊ine. Exactly what a man wants to hear on his first real date in a decade,?he says with a snort. 揑 don抰 want any secrets between us, Eliza, so let me be clear. We have to keep a low profile around the office for just a little while longer. Not that the truth hasn抰 slipped out to a couple people already. Troy knows about us, and I抦 sure Katelyn does, too. He even said something to Destiny.?
My heart skips.
揙h, like what? Why? And why would he tell your daughter of all people??
Cole sighs. 揌e抯 known me for too long, and I抳e never just been his boss. He saw us together in Hawaii and picked up on the obvious, I抦 sure. Can抰 say I抦 thrilled with him talking to Destiny, but he抯 an odd bird. The man never had a class in manners and as much as he pisses me off sometimes, he does his job flawlessly. Still, we don抰 need a whole peanut gallery talking in hand signals about the last time we kissed or winked at each other. That kind of shit will definitely make it up the chain, and we can抰 have that happening when it抯 not on our terms.?
I sip my ginger drink slowly.
Everything about this is confusing. I抦 also not great at hiding, even if it抯 for a good reason.
Having dinner in the open as a couple was also his idea. I never asked for this.
I just mentioned people would find out sooner or later.
Deep down, every time he mentions Destiny, I can抰 help remembering what she spilled in Kona.
Is he actually over his dead wife? Can he ever truly be 'over' her?
I get it. A small part of his heart might always belong to her considering they had a flipping child together.
But I can抰 handle being his rebound, his stand-in, his ghost made flesh.
After Derek and his heartbreak on a stick, I can抰 stand being anyone抯 shadow girlfriend.
While I抦 still brooding, a huge wooden boat shows up with two waitresses, piled high with colorful sushi so beautiful it抯 hard to eat.
Lit sparklers shine at each end, crackling shades of orange and yellow.
They set the boat down in the center of the table with a few plates and our waitress snuffs the flames with a golden spoon before she disappears.
揌oly crap. Dinner and a show??I whisper, hoping my awkward smile doesn抰 tell him how unclassy I am.
He smiles across the table. 揑 thought you抎 like it. The presentation is part of the experience.?
Trying to swallow my worries for now, I pick out several pieces of my spider roll with spicy aioli and some California roll and drop them onto my plate.
Cole loads his plate without seeming to care what he grabs.
A voice in the back of my mind won抰 leave me alone while I抦 trying to savor the delicious meal. It tells me I抦 being silly, I抦 letting my fears rule me, and I should just shut up and enjoy this fairy-tale beast of a man.
But it抯 too hard to let my guard down after the way the night began, even when the conversation eventually becomes easy again.
We laugh about Hawaii, Destiny抯 turtles and dolphins, plus all the little spots we explored far more intimately than any tourist should.
Near the end of dinner, Cole looks up as the waitress reappears with dessert menus.
揗y lady would like your best coffee. I抣l have the plum wine,?he says, catching my eyes and ordering for me again.
God, why does that give me all the butterflies?
揥onderful. We have a Tokyo lungo with locally sourced cream and a dessert latte. Otherwise, we have plain black coffee.?
揝he抣l have one of each, and she抣l let you know what she likes best,?Cole tells her.
揘oted,?she says.
I stare at him. 揇id you just order me three cups of coffee at nine o抍lock at night??
揑抣l drink whatever takes second place for you. And it was worth it to see the look on your face.?He smiles. 揑 was starting to worry I wouldn抰 see it again tonight.?